The competition was tough for the role of Tim Buckley. Actors rumored to have expressed interest in the role were James Franco, James Marsden, Jared Leto and Robert Pattinson. Robert was said to be obsessed to play the role, unfortunately he did not get it. Smuggler Films announced today Penn Badgley will star in the much anticipated film Greetings from Tim Buckley. “We had been searching well over a year for an actor that can come close to Jeff’s spirit while also having the serious musical chops required to authentically tell this story. Penn’s audition blew us away and we knew we found our star.”
Penn Badgley said about getting the role, “To play a man who was singularly gifted as an artist, greatly misunderstood & mythologized as a human being… It’s something very special and sacred. I’m going to give all I can to this project.”
Greetings from Tim Buckley follows the true story of the days leading up to Jeff Buckley’s eminent 1991 performance at his father’s tribute concert in St. Ann’s Church. Through a romance with a young woman working at the concert, he learns to embrace all of his feelings toward the father who abandoned him – longing, anger, forgiveness, and love.
The film will start filming in New York City in August 2011.
Image credit to C.Smith/ WENN.com